US position on strikes against Russia after Ukraine receives F-16s

Washington will decide on the use of American weapons provided to Ukraine and the restrictions on strikes on Russian territory depending on the situation on the battlefield.

This was stated by US Department of State spokesman Matthew Miller at a briefing, RBC-Ukraine reports citing Voice of America.

Answering a journalist's question about the "taboo" imposed by the United States on strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on the territory of the aggressor country, the American official confirmed that the position of the US authorities remained the same, in particular after Ukraine received the first batch of F-16 fighters from its Western partners.

Speaking about the possibility of expanding authorization for the Ukrainian army to strike military targets deep in Russia, Miller said that his answer "has not changed."

"We continue to look at the needs of the Ukrainian military, assess the security situation, and try to respond to their needs," the State Department spokesman said.

He added that this process "has been going on from the very beginning to the present day."

"That's how we make appropriate decisions about the weapons we provide to Ukraine, as well as the restrictions, if any, that we place on the use of those weapons," Miller said.

At the same time, the State Department spokesman did not give a clear answer to the question of expanding the capabilities of Western partners and members of the North Atlantic Alliance to shoot down Russian missiles launched by the aggressor to strike Ukraine.

He noted that such a decision "must be made collectively by NATO members."

Author - Dmitriy Levchenko, 06/08/2024